future of CAS ??

Don't know that it is dwindling.

The vast majority of shooters I see are shall I say, 'gettin' on up there'.

As such I think most people unless just starting out have pretty much saturated what they are going to buy. Second is that economy is still a bit shakey so firearm purchases are not as fast especially for cowboy guns. Certain guns pretty much have filled out the majority as well. Uberti/Ruger Colt clones for pistols, 1873 rifle mostly all Uberti, and Stoeger doubles still seem to be the vast majority of what people are using.

Anyway, I think that the market has slowed. People have what they want, or are being careful. This translates into what a manufacturer looks at when they decide to continue to market or bring something to market. There are the reviews on here and elsewhere that can drive a cowboy gun maker out as well.

Taurus is one. The ill fated Thunderbolt which I think washed over to the Gaucho.
Beretta I think more or less decided that it was competing with itself since they own Uberti and all the Beretta made guns were made by Uberti.
Marlin I think is still in recovery and has not yet recovered from the Remington/Freedom Group takeover. While they have been mostly absent Henry has filled in with an array of offerings for general lever gun.
Henry not really a CAS player and pretty much I think because especially the BB is bad mouthed. There are reasons.
Uberti has pretty much has not done much in a way for a bit but variations. Yes, they have Reminton clones, top-breaks and while they still list the lightning and the burgess I don't think those are flying off the shelves. Again, this a competitive game and as stated people pretty much have gravitated to certain firearms. Yes, there are those that shoot for a bit more fun, or just to have something different from the crowd but that does not support a firearm maker.

Note when WB officially got sanctioned there was all sorts of 1911s and still are. IAC brought back the 1897. All that because there was a new demand.

I can not help but wonder if WB had stayed a bit more with the idea of bringing out some of the more eclectic guns that many clubs started it with like double action revolvers up to the 1917, lugers, broomhandles etc. I bet more than one manufacturer would have tried to offer a newer clone.